Japanese crowd reaction to Lebron’s game-tying three
Dunno why but I always love seeing watchparties from different countries lol
Because we are two different cultures sharing a bond over something and it’s a very special thing to see. This feeling is always better than finding something to disagree about.
Dang, what a beautiful comment. Didn’t expect to find appreciation for crossing cultural lines in r/nba.
Why would you not lol? This sub loves talking about anything but basketball
Thank you Reddit! Woo!
The flip side is when you watch an overseas watch party like this, you get to share the pure joy and excitement with a group you have no negative feelings about. If this was an LA bar packed with lakers jerseys, many fans of other teams would also be feeling a general disdain for the lakers. And that would go for any contending team.
I was getting ready to hate the guy wearing the Tatum jersey. /s
Every country has rivalries. A Lakers fan in Japan is going to feel a different way about the Celtics than one that live in LA. I’m a pretty neutral fan where I don’t actively root for the Lakers but was excited about Lebron hitting that shot. I didn’t feel that way when the early 2010 Bulls were playing the Heatles.
It really does feel special. I mean just a hundred years ago this level of globalization and interconnectedness must’ve seemed impossible. Now here we are sharing our cultures the world over with the click of a button.
No no that can’t be it. It’s gotta be something else
King Roald is that you?
I’ve got to disagree with that
Yeah well fuck you then
Now this is sharing a bond
🤣 thanks for the laugh homie
This is how I feel watching The Voice from different countries. The YouTube algorithm will take me down a rabbit hole and I’ll enjoy performances from all over the world.
Then I think of how fucked it is that Ukraine and Palestine can’t enjoy these simple things and it makes me sad and angry. We all should just be chilling watching hoops and music shows and instead we have a lot of violence for no other reason but some country’s greed or ambition.
Reddit doesn’t like single word comments, but here is mine: “Preach.”
wholesome ass comment. you sound like a cool person 🙏 keep finding joy my friend
tell that to EPL lol. They absolutely HATE Americans liking their league
How nice is that? What a great thing!
The LeBron Steph Olympics were so special that way too. We all got to root for them together.
Bro in the Tatum jersey was hype then remembered he was rockin Celtics gear haha
speaking as a younger gen fan myself (esp one from asia), when you’ve started watching the nba decades after all these rivalries start, sometimes it feels performative to continue the tradition of rivalry when you weren’t even born or didn’t have sentience when shit actually went down. this is not to say that i’m ok with the lakers, but i just don’t have that same hatred in me like a guy living in boston watching the celtics since the early 2000s does.
like it’s probably blasphemous for me to say, but i love lebron more than i hate the lakers.
The part I don’t understand is when the fact that they’re all friends doesn’t factor into it for somebody.
Like if Tatum and Lebron can leave it on the floor, or Curry and Lebron, whoever, you probably don’t have to froth at the mouth when you see an opposing jersey on the street.
Keep it light.
It’s like when fans are sadder than the players when they lose haha
Def nothing wrong with respecting/liking players from rival franchises. Like we all know Russell is GOAT level. And Tatum and Brown are amazing and ethical players. 👏
Haha, yeah I know yall just like the game. It’s just funny to see cuz of how deep we know the rivalry is here.
nothing beats the mexicans watching dragonball in bars and going batshit crazy
Latin America and Dragon Ball is another beast. There’s a concert from a music group that sings head cha la and the entire place sings along and was super hyped
Still remember the illegal public streams for the Dragon Ball Super finale
they went ballistic over the jiren, fight it was so fun
I used to think I was a DBZ super fan until I met a couple Brazillian dudes who actually live and breathe it. Latin America and DBZ are just a different beast.
This right here is why in a couple of years/decades, the Nba will be much bigger than the nfl.
It already is much bigger than the NFL. Nobody plays American football outside the US while basketball is very easy to set up for.
The NFL is literally twice the size of the NBA commercially but American football has a much smaller fan base
It feels like only a fraction of the NBA fan base actually watches games outside of clips/ game highlights. The NFL draft pulls more viewers than the vast majority of finals games which is crazy to think about
One game vs seven game series. That’s the reason.
It’s also an inexpensive sport.
Watching different broadcasters from around the world react to Hali’s game winners last year was one of my favorite things about that run. The Korean commentators in particular really brought their A-game, gotta shout them out
Me too love it
I remember those Jurassic Parks all over Canada and in FVV’s hometown during the Raptors championship run, that was cool too.
Any other series and I’d agree. :(
This is why the NBA was testing 8PST/11EST games. It’s a freaking 12pm tip off in Tokyo.
This Lakers game ended at lunch time for them.
Best super bowl party I’ve ever been to was in Hungary, the energy was insane
must have been noon there too… right? they watch basketball like americans watch soccer.
how do you say fuckery in japanese?
I bet you do bot
Even a guy in full Celtics gear cheering lebron😂
As someone who’s from Argentina, I’ll explain this to you:
Most of us (outsiders) don’t care about those rivalries. Why? We live in different countries and we don’t get that vybe because there is no other “die-hard” fan here who would hate us, or simply, we don’t have our birth city influence.
We tend to just enjoy basketball and pick a team (or player) to support based on our experience.
I know you didn’t ask, buuuut it’s always cool to “explain” our way to watch/enjoy NBA to other people.
Exactly, I’m from Sweden and I root for the Timberwolves because wolves are my favourite animals 😎
Hell yeah. Turns out you picked a dawg of a team too ;)
yeah same here. i picked the charlotte hornets because i love hornets. wait a minute.
my buddy is deathly afraid of bees. like he will flip out if he is within 15 feet of one. explaining that flipping out is probably the worst thing to do near a bee does not help. but now i wonder what his experience would be if i threw on one of yalls games while he’s over 🤔
At least you got the starter jacket to cherish
You’re missing out on the experience of people on the couch advocating for Boston to be nuked as a matter of morality
What is there to advocate for? I thought this was universally agreed upon
Dutch Wolves fan here since 2008 because they had the coolest logo
Ya know, you Argentinians fit right in with our team, if you’re ever lookin’ for a new home.
Some dude from there used to play for the Spurs.
Totally! I used to watch a lot of San Antonio’s games as growing up. Nowadays there are some other teams I enjoy watching when Milwaukee is not playing, Spurs are one of them for sure!
I find that odd since if you’re a fan of the team, wouldn’t you pick up on the rivalries? Especially one as rooted as Lakers v. Celtics. I’m American, but I had zero ties to Boston or even New England before becoming a Cs fan, and the rivalry was just a part of it
Obviously that probably doesn’t matter as much if you’re a player fan. And I guess a lot of team rivalries in most sports have died over the years as players are chummier
I started watching the lakers for lebron but I’ve come to like the whole team, same with the celtics (although I’m mostly a payton fan). I love watching them face each other because rivalries are cool but I’d never genuinely hate a team or its fans
Even as a lifelong Laker fan, I dont dislike the players on the Celtics. I hope they lose in the playoffs, but Tatum/Brown are much more likeable than Paul Pierce/KG.
Yeah, like I still love Marcus Smart and want him to do well cause he’s a scrappy full-effort smart player, but still think his current uniform conjures images of puke-yellow vomit.
Yes and no, a lot of people enter fandom by being interested in a particular player first, rather than being interested in a team.
Over time as people develop an interest in a team by proxy of a player, they begin to develop biases and then the things you mention begin to be picked up over time. That’s what I think anyway.
Also LeBron is an icon of the sport and to see him perform at the highest level supersedes rivalry’s in a lot of contexts.
One of the few rivalries left are teams vs Celtics. Heat, Lakers, and Knicks come to mind. Philly also dislikes Boston, but they can’t win against the Celtics.
Keep in mind LA has Hachimura right now. I’m guessing most Japanese NBA fans are rooting for them because of that
I think that last sentence is a good summary. In my culture we are use to watch football. The rivalries there (Boca vs River, Independiente vs Racing, Man United vs City, Argentina vs Brazil, etc) have something else we (or at least I) don’t find in the NBA. A big example are the crowds. In this sport you hear the crowd chanting during the 70% of the game against the other team, the other players and all things like that, and that think heat-up everyting. In the opposite side, in the NBA players are finned if they curse or say something about the referees.
Basketball is my favourite sport and I’ve been watching NBA my entire life. As a teenager the only rivalry that I was aware of was Curry vs LeBron, but our media never called for other one.
Most fans outside of America are player fans. This guy wearing Tatum jersey is a Tatum fan first. He’s rooting for the Celtics bc that’s Tatum’s team not the other way around. Ofc he’s gonna root against the Lakers if they’re playing the Celtics but the rivalry isn’t that big of a deal to international fans. I grew up in China and the Kobe vs LeBron rivalry and Steph vs LeBron rivalry were bigger than any team rivalry there. It makes sense tbh. Waaaaay more people are LeBron/Kobe/Steph fans than Cavs/Lakers/GSW fans. Superstars are what they’re drawn to the games for. At least that’s what got a little girl in China (me 18 years ago) who doesn’t even play ball hooked to the games. NBA is a star driven league (and they market superstars way more than teams internationally), and the star power overpowers team loyalty when you don’t have a connection to a certain city or a team.
Hmm, as an American who follows European soccer, this doesn’t match my experience. I have gotten into the rivalries with the team I follow, and have good banter with the fans of our rivals.
I feel like most American fans of European soccer teams that I interact with have a very strong connection to their favorite team and buy in to the rivalries.
Makes sense. I got hyped last night when Lebron made the 3 even tho he’s a laker now. He’s just too great to not enjoy these moments when he’s 41. As long as it’s not against my spurs lol.
It’s like (most) Americans with soccer (non-American football). We’ll know some of the superstars (e.g., Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappi, Yamal, Kane), but aren’t nearly as diehard about teams or rivalries.
They just love American stars over there
Nah, he still hates the Lakers, but he’s cheering against Houston because he doesn’t like Ime.
Probably cheering for the Lakers because of Hachimura, too
whatchu mean? Tatum the biggest Lakers fan there is
LeTokyo
GodzilLe
LeKaiju
LeDragonBronZ
LeBroly
Le:Zero - Starting Life On Another Team
I hate that this made me chuckle lol
ka LeHa LeHa
LeJira
LeAgileDevelopment
LeShogun
LeCaliforniaRoll
LeSeventhsamurai
ReBron
Nippon James
LeKobe
LeBlur this dicking down I’m giving the rockets
[deleted]
Asians are actual basketball fans for the most part. They like the best players regardless of teams and get excited when they do great things in big games. They don’t immediately turn every game into a sports radio debate about how [insert player] is a piece of shit loser
They cheer on the game, not the dirty laundry, if you will
That’s part of it but also most non-US fans have no connections to the cultures and history of franchises and the “geopolitics” if you will across cities / states.
It’s the same for soccer. You have “global” fans who just cheer and enjoy whichever team cuz it’s good or personal preference. Then you have actual local fans at a city level or national level that is deeply rooted in culture and history. Imagine you are from London and going to a Euro league game in London and cheer the non-UK team while wearing a UK team’s uniform? You might literally get stabbed. Wish I’m exaggerating.
So, I don’t think this is that deep
jesus dude team rivalries arent that deep relax
They low key kinda are between the Lakers and Celtics.
Maybe 40 years ago. Sports are entirely different now
shaq won 3 titles with yall and played for the celtics after, rondo was a celtics fan favorite and won a title with yall, hell you got marcus smart on the squad right now. nba rivalries aren’t like other sports
They aren’t disagreeing? This comment makes no sense
uh I’m pretty sure player stans are the ones doing that more than team fans lol. like all the Jokic hate lately has been coming from SGA and Luka stans
We gotta wait til they retire or join our team to do that in America 😭
You know basketball is a team sport, right?
Shit I was screaming for joy when he hit that lol real ball fans are soaking in lebrons greatness while they can
Is “soaking in LeBron’s greatness” the title of your sex tape?
I wish
Celtics Kyrie Irving jersey up at the front too
i would think a lot of japanese folks would cheer for the lakers even if it wasn’t their own team cause of rui. i’d be the same if there was a syrian player even if he was on the celtics lol
Lebron transcends your fandom from a team to a dream
I will admit I also yelled when that turnover and three happened lol (while wearing a Jaylen Brown shirt)
Meanwhile the Knicks fan to his left looks distraught
Surely that tradition is international?
that’s how much respect he has for Kobe!
Some people just enjoy basketball 🤷
Japan has some of the best crowds. I went to a high school baseball game there and it was the loudest crowd I have ever experienced.
Have you ever attended a Koshien game? now that is something I want to go to at least once…
Yeah, I got tickets to a couple of the games when I lived there, and I’m telling you the environment is incredible. Summer Koshien is like no other sporting event. If you’re ever in Japan in August check it out you won’t be disappointed.
Wow, noted. Thanks
I lived in Kansai during the Hanshin Tigers’ heyday in the 80s, and I wish I got to go see a game back then. That would have been epic. I was a student at an international school back then, and first baseman Randy Bass occasionally dropped by our school since he was friends with some of the American faculty.
Wish I was old enough to watch Bass when he played for the Tigers. I was honestly scared I might never see my Tigers win in my lifetime, but then 2023 happened. Let’s hope my wizard can break their own curse. 😭😭
One of the very few democrats from Oklahoma too which is neat
So many things are freaking awesome about Japan. Their sporting events look insane too
I was there for track and field world championships. Best crowd, and I’ve fortunate to go to several Olympics, a lot of world champs, etc
They really appreciated everything going on
LeWorldwide
Pitbull voice daLe
Mr. Le305
I was watching at a restaurant with 1 single TV, so it was clearly not intended to be the main show.
You could tell who was watching because at various spots all over the restaurant 4 or 5 people suddenly all simultaneously said “HOLY SHIT!”
When Lebron lobbed to Bronny I jumped up and screamed and suddenly realized I was obviously the only one watching the game in the restaurant
lol that kind of thing is so fun to me. i live in an area where basketball isn’t very big, but sometimes sports channels are still on at the gym i go to, so some playoff games have been on recently. most people in the gym clearly don’t give two fucks about the game, but it’s a fun sense of camaraderie when i pull up to the TV for a minute to see what’s going on and find a couple other people clearly locked into the game. the bonus is that the TVs are (maybe intentionally) set up in the cardio area so playoff games keep me biking way longer lol
So dope
Le dope
I love sports
Who is LeBron James ?
In math: my solution ➗
In history: my king 👑
In art: my canvas 🎨
In science: my oxygen 💨
In geography: my world 🌎
Goosebumps man.
Playoffs is my drug
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES…. they need to bring that back once he retires and change it to WE WITNESSED. We really will never see a career like this again and so many people take it for granted
I love this, sport is a universal language. I remember 3 years ago I took a trip to the Philippines and I was walking through the markets one day, it was a lakers vs gsw playoff and I shit you not as I walked past vendors and hordes of people so many were tuned in watching or listening in on the game. Such an icon
Threes things I know for sure about Filipinos. They can sing, they love basketball, and love 2 teams GSW and the Lakers.
Damn they don’t teach you about Boston vs LA in Japanese schools?
Global audience don’t care about rivalries. It’s not like they live in that state to get it
How the game should be enjoyed
Wait where’s this, I’d love to join
It’s in Japan
haha no shit sherlock :P
I meant where in Japan, but I managed to find it in the meantime and secure my ticket :))
Can you share the details? I’m in Tokyo and would love to join something like this
https://nbaevents.nba.com/nbahousejapan
Celtic guy is like “why TF did I wear this jersey”
The man is exclusively known by his first name for a reason. Transcendent
Damn this is cool to see
Sports, music, and food are relatable for every culture 👌🏾 love to see it
Love it
Really awesome to see 😭
I absolutely love this.
Gonna be a sad, sad day for the world when he retires
Japan needs to diversify, between Lakers and Dodgers they gotta start adopting some other teams man. Shout out to Tatum guy tho
Me and the boys were pretty hyped too. Sports are the best.
True fans know
guy in the Tatum jersey losing his mind cheering for LeBron is proof that some moments just override your entire identity as a sports fan
Thank you for Rui fanbase.
I miss Japan, such an awesome country.
Can anyone else tell the crowd is japanese based on cheers? Or did I wake and bake too hard
Even Tatum is impressed.
must be nice having west coast games mid afternoon
I was sitting in my garage, watching it on my phone - fist pumping with my right hand and holding a smoldering bowl in the left.
I love seeing this
I wish we had watch parties like this in my city
LeWagyu
LeBronnichiwa
NBA growing globally something it has over the NFL
Basketball is played everywhere, unlike American football.
Where in Tokyo is this? I want to go
Nice
That’s the same reaction the Rockets Arena had also 🤣 Sounded like they were playing in LA.
My boy with the Tatum jersey! ☘️
homie n da Tatum jersey need 2 pick a side
LeBankai
LeSensei
Dude with a tatum jersey rooting for the lakers makes me wanna vom
There not stupid crazy fans like Americans , they can appreciate greatness no matter which side
So do they just have big watch parties like this for every playoff game?
Since rui is the best Japanese Basketball player most Japanese fans watch and support the Lakers. Rui is such a star there that they broadcast his weekly highlights on national TV.
Him balling out in the first half was probably awesome af for them.
LeNinki
LeBigInJapan
LeGlobal reach
Mr Worldwide
ikazo!!!!!
Buddy in the white hoodie to the left going through it. Rocket fans were located on the other side.
im curious what the reaction was to the LeBronto kind of shots hes been pulling off this series lol.
Exactly where I want to be
LeJapan
Amazing
Always knew Tatum was a Laker fan